Fuel valve device



Oct. 23, 1951 5. J. BUDLANE FUEL VALVE DEVICE 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed July 10, 1948 Patented Oct. 23, 1951 FUEL VALVE DEVICE Stanley J. Budlane, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Motorola, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 10, 1948, Serial No. 38,039

2 Claims. -1

This invention relates to liquid-fuel burning heaters, and it is particularly concerned with improvements in the type of car heater disclosed, for example, in the copending application of Stanley J. Budlane, Serial No. 2,685, filed January 16, 1948.

A heater of the aforesaid type includes a multiple fuel valve selector for controlling the flow of liquid fuel such as gasoline to the heater. Liquid fuel is delivered by a pump or equivalent device to a fuel chamber in the body of the selector. Needle valves in the fuel chamber are actuated by an expansible thermal element, such as a temperature-responsive bellows, to selectively close and open a plurality of fuel lines which extend from the fuel chamber to the main burners of the heater. The pilot fuel line, which leads from the fuel chamber to the pilot burner, is always open.

In this type of structure the burners are so designed and adjusted that liquid fuel must be supplied thereto for maintaining continuous combustion. If fuel Vapor instead of liquid fuel passes through any of the fuel lines, particularly the pilot fuel line, the associated burner is likely to become extinguished because the fuel and air mixture is too lean. Due to the nearness of the selector to the combustion chamber of the heater, there is a tendency for the fuel chamber to be partially filled with vapor whenever the heater is operating. Because of the way in which the selector and the fuel lines are arranged, such vaporization tends to depress the liquid fuel level. At high temperatures it may interfere with the flow of liquid into the fuel lines. Moreover, the motion of the car causes the body of liquid fuel to shift about.

As a result of the foregoing factors one or more of the burners may be momentarily starved, that is, deprived of liquid fuel, so that its flame goes out. Where this happens to a main burner, it is not important, so long as the pilot burner remains lighted. However, if the pilot line should be starved, all of the burners will be extinguished. A certain time interval then is required for the automatic ignition control devices of the heater to relight the pilot. If starving of the pilot burner occurs frequently, as it may under certain conditions, the operation of the heater becomes spasmodic, and the results are unsatisfactory.

An object of the present invention is to improve the operation of a heater having a fuel valve selector such as described above by taking steps to insure that the pilot line is never starved while the heater is supposed to be operating.

Specifically, it is an object to accomplish the 2 foregoing by simple and novel means whereby the fuel intake end of the pilot line is effectively extended so that it remains below the surface of the liquid fuel in the fuel chamber, and the fuel chamber is vented so as to release the fuel vapor therein and permit the liquid fuel level to rise.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, a small tube extends from the mouth of the pilot fuel passage in the selector body almost to the bottom of the fuel chamber. Furthermore, in accordance with another feature, one of the main burner needle valves is eliminated so that there is always an open fuel line through which the entrapped vapor and air (if any) can escape from the fuel chamber.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from study of the following description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein: V

Fig. 1 is a front view of a typical heater to which the invention may be applied, a portion of the heater housing being broken away' to show the interior construction; I

Fig. 2 is a side view of the heater with a panel removed from the housing; 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a fuel valve selector embodying the invention, this section being taken on the line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a liquid fuel-burning heater adapted to be mounted on the dash or fire wall of an automotive vehicle. The heater has a substantially cylindrical housing ill with a front opening covered by a grille l2 through which the cir-'- culating air enters the heater. After being heated, the air is discharged through other openings (not shown) in the rear portion of the housing l0 into the interior of the vehicle. Portions of the warm air stream may be diverted through outlets I4 to the front window defrosters of the vehicle. Circulation of air is maintained by a fan I6 in back of the grille [2 which is powered by a small electric motor (not shown) centrally mounted in the heater; This motor also drives another fan which supplies air for the combustion of fuel in the heater. Many of these details are not pertinent to the-present invention-and hence are not illustrated herein.

Within the heater housing l0 there are disclosed an electrically operated fuel pump I8; a

fuel pressure regulator 26, and a fuel valve selector generally designated 22. Liquid fuel such as gasoline is supplied by the pump 16 through the pressure regulator 26 to an inlet tube Figs. 2, 3 and 6, which communicates with a fuel chamber 26 within the body of the selector unit 22. The selector 22 is of substantially cylindrical configuration and is mounted with its axis at a small angle from the vertical, approximately as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The selector unit also includes a temperature-responsive bellows 28, Fig. 3, which is separated from the fuel chamber 26 by a diaphragm 36. A plastic housing 32 secured to the case of the selector 22 by a spring v clip 34 encloses the bellows 28. Thehousing 32 has openings as 36 therein whereby the bellows 28 is exposed to a portion of the air stream entering the heater. The bellows 28, by its force of thermal expansion and contraction, controls cerpresently.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2, the burner structure 46 of the heater includes a pilot burner and several main burners. A fuel line leads from the selector 22 to the pilot burner, and other fuel lines 43, 44;, 45 and 66 lead respectively to the main burners. The various fuel lines 24 and 42 to 46 are connected to the selector unit 22 by suitable fittings 41, 48 and 69 shown in Figs.

and 6. The inlet tube 24 communicates with the at '52. It is desirable that the fuel chamber 26 be completely filled by the liquid fuel. In practice, however, there will always be a quantity of fuel vapor, with perhaps a small amount of air, which will form a body of gaseous fluid in the fuel chamber '26, as indicated at 54. will collect in the highest part of the fuel chamber ZE. As mentioned previously, the burners of the heater should be supplied with liquid fuel for continuous combustion. If a substantial amount of gaseous fluid enters a fuel line, the flame at ".1.

the plate 66 to provide clearance for the pilot that burner is likely to be extinguished. This is especially true of the pilot burner, which must besupplied with liquid fuel; otherwise it will go out. If the pilot burner is extinguished, the main burners no longer function, and combustion fails.

Hence, it is highly desirable that the pilot burner and as many main burners as possible be supplied with liquid fuel at all times while the heater is in operation.

As explained later, some of the main lil outlet ports in the fuel chamber 26 are prov led with valves which are closed and opened seren pressure is exerted on the body of fuel 52 in chamber 26.

The fuel passage for the pilot is located at or The near the lowermost point occupied by any of the outlet ports, and to further insure that the pilot line 42 will not be starved of liquid fuel, there is provided a small feed tube 60 which extends downwardly from the pilot fuel passage to within a short distance from the diaphragm 30 at the bottom of the fuel chamber 26. The tube 66 is pressed into a bushing 62 which is fitted in the opening for the pilot fuel passage.

A number of needle valves as 64, Fig. 6 (in this instance, three) are provided respectively for the main fuel passages as 53. The valves 64 are slidingly mounted in a plate 66 secured on a sleeve 68 which is disposed on a plunger 10 extending from the diaphragm 36 through the center of the selector unit 22. The plunger H1 is housed within a tubular member 12, in which the sleeve 68 is slidably disposed. A coil spring 14 embracing the plunger 10 extends between the tain valves in a manner which will be explained sleeve 68 and a plug 76 screwed into the tubular member 12. The plunger i0 is slidable in the plug 15. Each of the needle valves 64 is urged into an open position by an individual coil spring f8 which is interposed between the valve 64 and a bracket 86 or 82, Figs. 5 and 6, which is .secured on the needle valve plate 66.

Assuming there is a call for less heat from the heater, the bellows 28 expands, causing the plunger 10, sleeve 68 and needle valve plate 66 to move forwardly (that is, upwardly, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 6). The needle Valves 64 have shanks of different lengths so that they will close in sequence as the plate '66 moves forwardly. As each valve 66 seats in its port as '53, it shuts off any flow of fuel through that port, and any further movement of the plate 66 serves merely to compress the spring 18 associated "with that valve. Likewise, if there is a call for more heat and the bellows 28 contracts, the needle valve plate 66 moves backwardly (that is, downwardly) and sequentially withdraws the needle valves 64 from their outlet ports 53. In this way the main burners are modulated, which is to say that only as many burners are placed in operation as are necessary in view of temperature conditions and heat requirements. To prevent turning of the plate 66 on its axis, a pin 84, Figs. 4 and 5, secured in the body of the selector unit 22 extends through a radial slot '86 in the edge of "the plate 66. Another aperture or recess 88 is afforded in fuel tube 66.

7 When gas is formed in the fuel chamber 26 as indicated at 56, Figs. 3 and 6, it tends to depress the level of the liquid fuel body 52 below the fuel outlet ports. In order to minimize this tendency, the valve for the main burner fuel line 45 has been eliminated, as shown best in Figs. 4 and 6. The port or passage 5! for the fuel line 45 is located at or near the uppermost point in the fuel chamber '26 and serves as a vent for bleeding off the entrapped gaseous fluid. This insures an adequate supply of liquid fuel to the remaining burners, so that these main burners function with full efliciency. The pilot feed tube 66, of course,

insures that the pilot burner will be adequately supplied with liquid fuel. The main burner associated with the fuel line 45 will be continuously operative but may function spasmodically dueto the gases which are supplied thereto through the fuel line 45. However, this is unimportant since it has been found that three main burners have sufficient capacity for satisfactory operation of the heater. Omission of the fourthfuel valve is a cheap and effective way of obtaining sa t-isfactory performance without redesigning the present burner construction.

From the above description it can be appreciated that the invention substantially improves the performance of the heater and fulfills the objects previously stated. While a preferred embodiment has been disclosed, the invention is not limited to this precise form, but includes all modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a liquid fuel-burning heater of the type having main burners and a pilot burner, a valve selector unit for controlling the supply of liquid fuel to certain of said burners and including a substantially cylindrical fuel supply chamber arranged with its axis inclined from the vertical, said chamber being adapted to contain liquid fuel under pressure for delivery to the burners and having a plurality of fuel outlet openings in the top of said chamber, a fuel line leading from one of said outlet openings to the pilot burner, said one outlet opening being lower than the other outlet openings, other fuel lines respectively leading from the other outlet openings to the main burners, one of such openings being higher than the remaining openings, a tube extending from the mouth of said lowermost opening downwardly to a point substantially below the minimum liquid fuel level which exists in said fuel supply chamber while the heater is in operation, and needle valves associated with all of the fuel outlet openings for the main burners except said uppermost opening, whereby said uppermost opening serves as a vent for the escape of gaseous fluid from said chamber.

2. In a liquid fuel burning heater of the type having main burners and a pilot burner, a valve selector unit for controlling the supply of liquid fuel to certain of said burners and including a fuel supply chamber, means for supplying liquid fuel under pressure to said chamber, said fuel supply chamber including a plurality of outlet openings therein, fuel line means individually connecting said outlet openings with said burners, said fuel outlet openings being at different levels in said chamber with said outlet opening associated with said pilot burner being at a low level and said outlet opening associated with one of said main burners being at the highest level to be in communication with any gas that might collect in said chamber, and valves associated with at least one of said fuel line means con nected to a main burner other than said one main burner, whereby said fuel line means connected to said one main burner is always open and serves as a vent for the escape of said gas from said chamber.

STANLEY J. BUDLANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,322,952 Robin NOV. 25, 1919 1,361,418 Tolchan Dec. 7, 1920 1,511,669 Grady Oct. 14, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 551,747 France May 19, 1922 

